Today at Commission, Barnier briefing and Brussels attacks

The Brexit pieces are falling into place — at least when it comes to timing.

Just ahead of the Commission’s daily press conference, European Council President Donald Tusk said EU leaders — minus Theresa May — will meet on Saturday April 29 to discuss guidelines for the Brexit negotiations.

The Commission is to hold an extraordinary meeting “immediately” after that summit — potentially on the Sunday.

On Tuesday, the Commission’s deputy spokesman Alexander Winterstein said chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier will attend this week’s college of commissioners meeting.

Brussels attacks commemoration

The Commission will hold a minute’s silence for the victims of the Brussels terror attacks at 10 a.m. Wednesday. As revealed last week, Jean-Claude Juncker will help unveil a monument in memory of the victims of the March 22, 2016 attacks along with the Belgian royal family.

Juncker will also deliver a speech in memory of Patricia Rizzo, a Commission staffer who died in the attacks. A Commission source said this would be a private event.

Elsewhere

Because of the Brussels’ attacks commemorations, the weekly meeting of commissioners will start later than usual at 11:30 a.m. Margrethe Vestager will deliver the read-out of the meeting to the press.

As well as Brexit, commissioners are expected to discuss migration and the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome. Juncker will head to the Italian capital on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s event.

Winterstein declined to comment on the death of Martin McGuinness, former deputy first minister of Northern Ireland. “I leave it to history books,” he said.